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Court ruling on Illinois gun ban sets stage for fight
Backers of Illinois' ban on concealed weapons vowed Wednesday to fight for continued controls on gun possession, a day after a federal appeals court struck down the nation's last such prohibition as unconstitutional and ordered the state to craft a law allowing it.
Chicago aldermen joined gun control advocates in urging state Attorney General Lisa Madigan to appeal the ruling from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Gov. Pat Quinn and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said they would work with legislators to come up with a new law that would be sure to protect the public.
"I think it's important that we stress that public safety comes first," said Quinn, an ardent supporter of gun control, adding that people with a history of mental illness who are involved in domestic violence should not be able to carry weapons.
"I think that's where the people of Illinois are on this issue and anything having to do with guns and assault weapons and things like that. We cannot have those sorts of people eligible to carry loaded weapons on their person in public places, whether it be malls or churches or schools."
Quinn also said he will push for a ban on military-style assault weapons.
The ban's defenders said they expect a battle in the Legislature over the next six months as the state seeks to comply with the court order to craft a new law within 180 days. They noted that a number of states that allow concealed carry — such as Wisconsin, which approved it last year — still restrict where citizens can carry weapons.
"I expect a battle," said House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, a longtime gun control advocate. "The proponents of concealed carry have not yet carried the day."
Gun rights advocates, who long have argued that the Illinois ban violates the Second Amendment, celebrated the ruling as a major victory in their campaign to make Illinois the center of the national debate over gun control after Wisconsin tossed out its ban on concealed carry last year.
The gun rights backers interpreted the 2-1 appellate court ruling as a mandate instructing lawmakers to pass a bill allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons in public with few if any restrictions. Todd Vandermyde, a National Rifle Association lobbyist, said gun control advocates could forget any limits such as partial bans near places such as day care centers and schools.
Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, said lawmakers could quickly pass an existing concealed-carry bill when they reconvene the first week of January. The bill, he said, "contains all the things — background checks, classroom time — that all the parties wanted, so it's ready to go," but he said the sponsors may not need to include all those provisions this time around.
"We bent over backwards before and tried to accommodate everybody, and they just threw it in the garbage," Pearson said. "Maybe we won't be so accommodating now."
As Chicago grapples with a spike in its murders and shootings this year, several members of the City Council said Wednesday they hope Madigan will appeal the ruling. However, that may be a long shot given the Supreme Court's recent rulings, which includes striking down Chicago's handgun ban. Madigan's office said she was reviewing the decision.
The aldermen also noted that the city has the authority to ban or restrict concealed weapons on its own. But Alderman Howard Brookins disagreed with that approach, saying the court's decision means law-abiding citizens "who jump through the hoops" to secure the proper gun permits will be able to better protect themselves.
Judge Richard Posner wrote in the majority appellate opinion that Illinois doesn't have "some unique characteristic of criminal activity" that provides an excuse for not joining the rest of the nation when it comes to concealed weapons.
But the majority included the 180-day stay of its ruling to "allow the Illinois legislature to craft a new gun law that will impose reasonable limitations, consistent with the public safety and the Second Amendment as interpreted in this opinion, on the carrying of guns in public," Posner wrote. The fight in the Legislature would be over what constitutes "reasonable limitations."
Gun control advocates say that other states have a range of criteria for allowing concealed carry. Four states — Alaska, Arizona, Vermont and Wyoming — require no permit for concealed carry.
By contrast, a number of other states — including New York and California — give law enforcement officials discretion in issuing permits and require applicants to demonstrate good cause for carrying, according to Brian Malte of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
In Illinois, the existing legislative proposal requires specific training for applicants, but the sponsors could choose to leave that out, Pearson said. Another possibility, he said, is requiring training from any NRA instructor, as some states require. "You get certified and you're out the door," he said.
There also is likely to be debate over where concealed weapons can be carried. For example, Wisconsin decided that gun permit holders cannot carry weapons in schools, police stations or courtrooms but can carry weapons into taverns if they aren't drinking alcohol. Private property owners can ban weapons in their buildings if they see fit.
Some gun control advocates believe their best chance is with the Supreme Court, despite recent rulings — including one overturning Chicago's handgun ban — that found citizens have a Second Amendment right to have a gun for self-defense in their homes.
Flynn Currie said she is encouraged by the court's silence on the right to carry concealed weapons and wants Madigan to appeal the ruling.
The Supreme Court's rulings on the Second Amendment were "very limited, saying the home is your castle, and it didn't apply to other places," she said. "For that reason, it's worth checking on that question."


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Kim Cattrall of Sex and the City plays Rudyard Kipling's American wife in My Boy Jack, a televised version of a play about the writer and his vulnerable son, tonight on PBS. Who was Carrie Kipling?
V. S. Pritchett wrote in a review of Angus Wilson's biography, The Strange Ride of Rudyard Kipling, which appears in Pritchett's Compete Collected Essays:
"She was certainly very domineering – and like many dominant people was liable to hysteria which her prisoner was called upon to calm. She was certainly, once more, a stern mother-figure. He was incompetent with money. She managed his financial affairs, his contracts, his correspondence. She is said to have opened all his letters and to have dictated the replies. Her daughter said she cut her husband off from stimulating intellectual company and indeed she was out of her depth in it. But she fiercely protected his privacy and stood between him and the plague of visitors who descend like vultures on famous men; if Kipling was cut off from his coevals, he was cut off chiefly by his wealth: his friends were the successful and important. She was suspicious by nature, particularly of women, and seems to have felt many people were really after his money. But Kipling appeared to enjoy her rule, for he had been used to an excessive reliance on his parents, even in middle life. Visitors noticed that Rudyard and his Carrie enjoyed the same harsh jokes.
"She probably enjoyed hearing that the female of the species was more deadly than the male. Possibly he would not have married her unless he had loved her charming brother first and more spontaneously — he responded most to family affection — and one must remember that he and Carrie had the tragic bond of the loss of their two children and that she nursed her misogynist through his serious breakdowns and his hysterical, baseless, but harrowing dread of cancer. No; brought up in a tough school, Kipling found a tough wife."
My Boy Jack is a Masterpiece (formerly Masterpiece Theater) production www.pbs.org written by David Haig and based on his play. It also stars Haig as Rudyard Kipling, Daniel Radcliffe as his son and Jack, shown with Cattrall in a PBS photo.
© 2008 Janice Harayda. All rights reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


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How much does a Clergy make in the United States? The average Clergy salary in the United States is $104,300 as of February 27, 2023, but the range typically falls between $85,700 and $118,200. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Ennoble Care - Fairfax, VA
PRN Chaplain/Hospice -Farmville
James River Home Health & Hospice - Farmville, VA
General Christian Spiritual Guide
Ladgov Corporation - Hopewell, VA
The Clergy provides spiritual leadership to members. Directs religious services and all daily operations for the organization. Being a Clergy oversees outreach and educational programs. Supervises church staff and associated administrative businesses. In addition, Clergy performs religious services, leads prayer and conducts worship. Requires a master's degree. Typically reports to regional or chapter manager. The Clergy typically manages through subordinate managers and professionals in larger groups of moderate complexity. Provides input to strategic decisions that affect the functional area of responsibility. May give input into developing the budget. Capable of resolving escalated issues arising from operations and requiring coordination with other departments. Working as a Clergy typically requires 3+ years of managerial experience. (Copyright 2023 Salary.com)
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Benny Hill
Life Path Number 11
Benny Hill was an English comedian and actor who was a prominent figure in British culture for nearly four decades, and his show, The Benny Hill Show, has become one of the great success stories of television comedy and was among the most-watched programmes in the UK with the audience peaking at more than 21 million in 1971, as it was also exported to 97 countries around the world.
He was born on Monday January 21st 1924, in Southampton, Hampshire, England.
Benny Hill has the potential to be a source of inspiration and illumination for people. He possesses an inordinate amount of energy and intuition. There is so much going on in his psyche that Benny is often misunderstood early in life, making him shy and withdrawn. Hill has far more potential than he knows.
Benny galvanizes every situation he enters. He inspires people, but without his conscious effort. Energy seems to flow through Benny Hill without him controlling it. This gives Benny both power and sometimes emotional turmoil.
Hill is a channel for information between the higher and the lower, between the realm of the archetype and the relative world. Ideas, thoughts, understanding, and insight - all of these can come to him without him having to go through a rational thought process. There seems to be a bridge, or connection, between his conscious and unconscious realms, attuning him to a high level of intuition through which even psychic information can flow.
All of this amounts to a great capacity for invention. Many inventors, artists, religious leaders, prophets, and leading figures in history have had the 11 prominent in their chart.
Because Benny is so highly charged, he experiences the consequences of a two-edged sword. He possesses great abilities, but indulge in much self-reflection and self-criticism. Benny Hill often feels highly self-conscious. He is aware on some level that he stands out. Even when he tries to blend with his environment, Hill often feels conspicuous, alien, and out-of-place.
Benny Hill is blessed with a message, or a specific role to play in life. But he must develop himself sufficiently to take full advantage of that opportunity. Until that time, Hill's inner development takes precedence over his ability to materialize the great undertaking he was chosen to perform. Consequently, 11s seem to develop slowly, but they simply have more to accomplish in their evolution than the average person. Thus, Benny's real success does not usually begin until maturity, between the ages of 35 and 45, when he has progressed further along his path.
Benny may often be frustrated, largely because he has extremely high expectations of himself. But these expectations can be unrealistic, and can prevent him from accomplishing anything. He can be very impractical, envisioning a skyscraper when all that was necessary was a two-story house.
Benny Hill may also suffer from bouts of confusion and lack of direction. This gives rise to loss of confidence and the onset of deep depression. The cause of these emotional problems is Hill's lack of understanding of his own sensitivity and potential. His desire to achieve some great ambition is enormous. However, a lack of confidence in his own ability to realize this dream may cause Benny much frustration. Benny Hill senses the enormous potential he possesses, which requires equally enormous confidence in his ability to materialize his dream. Confidence is the key that unlocks his potential.
On a strictly physical level, Benny must protect his nervous system, which is inordinately vulnerable to stress because of his acute sensitivity. Depression is often the result of long periods of stress that have gone unrelieved. Benny Hill should seek out peaceful and harmonious environments, relaxing music, and follow a healthful diet in order to restore balance and peace.
As an 11 Life Path, he is a highly charged version of the 2 and possesses many of the characteristics and talents of that number. He can be extremely diplomatic and tactful. Benny Hill is also patient and cooperative. He works well with groups and somehow finds a way of creating harmony among diverse opinions. Hill enjoys music and poetry and requires a harmonious environment. He has an eye for beauty and a fine sense of balance and rhythm. Benny has healing capabilities, especially in such fields as massage, acupuncture, physical therapy, and counseling.
Benny Hill is a sensitive and passionate lover; his perceptiveness makes him aware of his partner's needs and desires, which Benny is able to fulfill with almost magical delicacy. However, when he feels he has been mistreated or jilted, Hill can react with devastating power, sometimes using personal criticisms vindictively.
Benny is a fine companion and possesses a good sense of humor.
When he has found his niche in life and begun to realize his true potential, Benny Hill's rewards will more than compensate for his trials earlier in life.
You and Benny
About Benny's Life Path number
If ever there was a single moment of total transformation, it was actually the moment of Benny Hill's birth. In that instant, Benny stepped through a door in time into a new reality - the reality of human life. The most critical number in Hill's numerology chart is based on the date of his birth - the moment when the curtain went up in Benny Hill's life.
Read more about our numerological interpretation of Benny Hill's


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A pair of MIT mechanical engineering students has developed the first truly portable 3D printer, which fits neatly into a metal briefcase.
PopFab—designed by MIT CADLab's Ilan Moyer and Nadya Peek of MIT's Centre for Bits and Atoms—can impressively be set up in just a few moments. In the embedded video you can see the students pull out a retractable arm, fix it in place, then connect up a laptop, along with the printing head and attached material source. The pair then sit back and watch the device spring into action, etching out the fish design being fed to it by the laptop.
The detachable printer head not only makes the machine compact in design, but means it can also be used in a variety of different ways. By swapping in different toolheads, it can be turned into a vinyl cutting, milling, or programmable drawing machine.
Moyer has been working toward the creation of PopFab for some time. In 2009 he completed a challenge to build a basic 3D printer for under £60 with widely available materials. The idea was to see whether someone without engineering training and with standard supplies could create a 3D printer over just one weekend.
Though his medium was chocolate pudding and ketchup, Moyer did succeed in creating something that could be described as a 3D printer. The neat and compact device that became PopFab is actually an incarnation of the low-cost "personal fabrication machine" project Moyer began working on the same year. Though, just how cost-effective the current model is remains to be seen—it has no price tag yet, and the MIT students have not spoken about whether they plan on making it commercially available.
If it does indeed appear on the market, the possibilities for at-home and on-the-go printing could be interesting.


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of Information Act (FOIA)
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides that any person has the right to request access to federal agency records or information. Like all federal agencies, Job Corps and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) are required under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to disclose records requested in writing by any person. However, agencies may withhold information pursuant to nine exemptions and three exclusions contained in the statute. The FOIA applies only to federal agencies and does not create a right of access to records held by Congress, the courts, or by state or local government agencies.
If you wish to make an FOIA request to Job Corps, please send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com. Please use the link below if you are unsure of how to make an FOIA request. We encourage the public to explore the Job Corps Web site or use the DOL search engine to see if the information you seek is already available to the public via the Web.


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Hannibal Postmortem: Where Do Will and Hannibal Go From Here?
[WARNING: The following story contains spoilers from Friday's episode ofHannibal. Read at your own risk.]
"I'd like to resume my therapy."
With those words, NBC's Hannibalreverted back to the familiar Season 1 dynamic between troubled FBI consultant Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and cannibalistic serial killer/psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen). But nothing is the same as the last time these two men sat across from one another in Hannibal's well-appointed office.
Spring Preview: Get scoop on your favorite returning shows
After Will was locked up for Hannibal's crimes in the Season 1 finale, he spent the first part of the season trying to prove his innocence from inside the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. When those efforts failed (and led to the death of former colleague Beverly Katz), Will took a new approach: He tried to have Hannibal killed.
On Friday's episode, as soon as Will is released from the asylum - the discovery that Miriam Lass (Anna Chlumsky) is alive and (somewhat) well turned the focus of Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) and the FBI back to the Chesapeake Ripper, who has now been implicated in the murders for which Will was incarcerated - Will storms into Hannibal's kitchen and once again sticks a gun in his face. Needless to say, Hannibal and Will are no ordinary doctor-patient duo.
Fortunately, Will doesn't pull the trigger. So why, then, would Will subject himself to more therapy with the not-so-good doctor? "If Will still wanted to kill Hannibal, it would be a very short season," executive producer Bryan Fuller tells TVGuide.com with a laugh. "What's interesting about what Will is going through is that he's realizing there are elements of Hannibal Lecter's ... education, for a lack of a better word, that are resonating with him. Hannibal, although he is a monster, is correct in many things about Will Graham's instincts and why he understands killers the way he does."
Hannibal Season 2: Can Will beat Hannibal at his own game?
Additionally, since Miriam Lass failed to identify Hannibal as the Chesapeake Ripper (more on that later), Will still needs to find a way to prove to Jack & Co. he's right about Hannibal's evil ways. "In order to lull Hannibal into a false sense of security, Will's got to play the seductor in the dynamic," Fuller says. "It's dangerous territory for Will because it's not entirely clear how much of a game he is playing. He is definitely in Hannibal's orbit and he feels that gravitational pull. But he also is trying to maintain his humanity. He doesn't know how close he can dance to the fire before he bursts into flames."
As for Hannibal, who's been closely watched by Jack over the past couple episodes, he can now breathe a little easier. After a few years of brainwashing Miriam while holding her captive, Hannibal made Dr. Chilton (Raul Esparza) his patsy by planting the body of Dr. Gideon (Eddie Izzard) at Chilton's home. In fact, when Miriam sees Chilton and IDs him as the Ripper, she also grabs a gun and shoots him in the face. "When we started talking about bringing Anna Chlumsky back as Miriam Lass and how she was going to exonerate Hannibal Lecter, it wasn't going to be enough for her to just come forward and say, 'No, he's not the Chesapeake Ripper,'" Fuller says. "Someone had to go down for that, and Chilton had been there from the start. So we thought, 'He's got to pay the final price.'"
But isn't Dr. Chilton a major part of the Thomas Harris books upon which the series is based? Although Fuller acknowledges he's messing with the history, he could still have a few tricks up his sleeve. "As far as canon goes, I wouldn't put it past me to have [Chilton] show up looking like Ed Harris in History of Violence in Season 3 or 4," Fuller says with a laugh. "I love Raul and I love what he brings to the atmosphere of the show. Serpico survived a shot to the face! That's not exactly where we're going, but I would never count out Dr. Chilton."
Hannibal scoop: Jeremy Davies, Chris Diamantopoulos to guest-star on Season 2
Hannibal may have a neat-and-tidy alibi proving he's not the Ripper for now, but Fuller says things will get messy again once Hannibal gets himself back in Will's head. "Episode 8 is definitely the new chapter," Fuller says. "It's very much the cat-and-cat game that's on display. Who's going to win? Does Will want to win? Does Will want to surrender to this? We will be unsure up until the final moments of the season.
"Will has to be in psychic danger through the end of the season," Fuller continues. "The arc of the last six episodes is all about Will's struggle with the darkness that got inside him and how much of it he can control. And how much of it he wantsto control."
Hannibalairs Fridays at 10/9c.
View original Hannibal Postmortem: Where Do Will and Hannibal Go From Here? at TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com


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It is inspired by the friendliness and cordiality of neo-humanist typefaces with a mix of rounded shapes, some apexed characters, and a little bit of black. Although it follows the ductus, D Sari is also a daring font with less pointed shapes, as is the case with regular neo-humanist typefaces.
D Sari has 22 variants, which make it a very dynamic typeface. Well-suited for highlighting lettering, magazines, motion graphics, advertising, logotypes, signs, etc.
D Sari is designed by Diego Aravena.


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Evergreen to Host Debate on Marriage Equality Friday, October 19
The Evergreen State College will host a debate on marriage equality on Friday, October 19 at 7:00 p.m. in the Longhouse. The event is free and open to the public and is offered to the campus and local community as a public service. A live web stream of the event will make the debate available to people across Washington State.
Debating the issue are Andrew Koppelman, John Paul Stevens Professor of Law at Northwestern University, and Maggie Gallagher, co-founder of the National Organization for Marriage and the author of four books on marriage, including (with John Corvino) Debating Same-Sex Marriage. Member of the Faculty Jose Gomez will moderate.
Hosting a debate on marriage equality is timely. This issue will be on the ballot on November 6. Those interested in this topic can find out more about Referendum 74 through the on-line voter's guide provided by the Secretary of State.
For directions to Evergreen, visit this page: http://www.evergreen.edu/tour/gethere.htm
The college is hosting the event with support from the Cal Anderson Memorial Endowment.


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I am a fitness gadget freak. I'm into anything that will help me track, optimize, and analyze my activity stats—that's why I reviewed the Withings Wi-Fi scale and the BodyMedia FIT, and I'm a regular user of RunKeeper, Nike+, and a plethora of other data-driven fitness apps. But rarely do these gadgets and apps actually inspire me to try and beat my previous stats; usually I just use them to track my already planned activity so that I can adjust my own expectations.
This is not the case with the fitbit—or in my case, the fitbit ultra. Given to me as a gift this last January, the "ultra" version of the fitness tracker has been on the market since October of 2011. The most basic element of the fitbit ultra is that it tracks your steps like a pedometer, but it can do a handful of other things: track the number of floors you've climbed, measure your sleep activity, and even display motivational phrases. (Don't laugh—I thought it was campy, too, until my fitbit kept greeting me every day with phrases like "VAMOS JACQUI.") The device can sync your data wirelessly through a USB dock plugged into your computer, so you only have to take it off to charge the battery maybe once a week or so.
Here's where things get personal. As someone who works from home, it's sometimes easy to delude myself into thinking I'm getting the same level of everyday, non-exercise activity as everyone else. But it's not true at all; people who commute to work (whether by foot, bike, public transit, or even car) do end up taking more steps in a day than someone who doesn't have to commute. Walking to and from your car or the subway, walking around your office, going with coworkers to lunch, etc.—all these things add up, and these are things that (generally speaking) a telecommuter doesn't do nearly as often. And those steps you're missing out on can add up.
I always knew this in the back of my head, but my fitbit ultra made this painful fact quite obvious. Because fitbit's website allows you to be friends with other fitbit users and see their stats, I quickly learned that seemingly everyone else on earth takes more steps on an average day than me unless I made explicit efforts to go out of my way to walk more. Many of my nondriving friends here in Chicago tend to take an average of 8,000 to 12,000 steps in a day (as of this writing, my top friend takes an average of 13,000 steps in a day!), and even my driving friends in other cities still seem to take between 6,000 and 8,000. When I began looking at my step stats via the fitbit ultra, I discovered that an average workday for me usually involved between 1,500 and 3,000 steps. On a day when I work and then run several miles, I might make it up to an exciting 5,000. Clearly, the whole working-from-home thing is keeping me quite sedentary even when you add in my running schedule.
That must be the point, then, of the fitbit website's leaderboards and badges: to motivate you to do more and top your friends. And although I'm well aware that I don't need a $99 gadget in order to force myself to take more steps, I must admit that the device and its accompanying website does work for me. Seeing all my friends constantly top me in steps has motivated me to make an extra effort to leave the house more and walk to more places. Things that I wouldn't normally do if I didn't have a number constantly being thrown in my face to show how few steps I've taken that day. On my non-running days, I now take very long walks too. And it's all to juice my own stats.
Now, anytime I set out to go somewhere, my mindset is, "this will definitely rack up the steps on the fitbit." If I forget my fitbit at home, I curse myself for practically the entire day—after all, the day's steps won't "count!" If I end up having to take my bike instead of walking somewhere, I feel mildly annoyed too. Sure, it's activity, but will it add to my step count? Didn't think so.
In the three months I've had my fitbit ultra, this single piece of motivation has helped me up my daily average to almost 6,500 steps—still much lower than most of my friends, but probably more than double what my daily average was when I first started using it. And aside from forcing me to be more active, this has benefitted me in other ways too: I get out more, get more sun and fresh air, see more real human beings in the flesh, and generally feel like more of a real member of society than the cave-dwelling nerd that I apparently was before. On one recent Friday, I somehow made it up to almost 19,000 steps!
One could argue that a standard pedometer, which can be had for as low as a few dollars from Amazon, could offer me the same level of data. That is indeed true, aesthetics aside. But then how would I easily compare myself against the people I know and use their achievements as motivation for my own? I'm very happy to have received my fitbit ultra, and I hope to never be apart from it again. If only it could charge wirelessly, I'd never have to take it off.


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Sportbike Rider Picture Website
|More Information on the Honda RC51
The Honda RC51, also known as the RVT1000R (in the United States) or VTR1000 SP1 (Europe and Australia), is a 90° V-twin motorcycle produced by Honda from 2000 to 2006.
Mechanicals and chassis
The engine is a 999cc dual overhead cam V-twin unit with two fuel injectors and four valves per cylinder. Power is delivered to the rear wheel by a close-ratio, six-speed transmission. The chassis is constructed from aluminium alloy, being a twin-spar design.
The RC51 is a racing superbike which benefits from gearbox sprocket changes for street use. Factory RC51s were highly geared for top speed performance.
The RC51 was designed as the motorcycle to be used by Honda's racing teams in the Superbike World Championship. The 2000–2001 models are designated SP1, while the 2002–2006 models are designated SP2 (the latter having updated fuel injection and suspension systems).
1988–2002 In 1988, new rules in superbike racing allowed V-twin engines up to 999 cc to compete. Prior to the rules change, 750 cc four-cylinder motorcycles were the dominant force in production based competition. During the first two years of the World Superbike championship, Honda won the series with their RC30, powered by a 750 cc V-4. In 1990, however, Raymond Roche secured Ducati's first world title aboard the Ducati 851. Throughout the next 11 years, Ducati would go on to win 8 World Superbike Championships with their V-twins (Honda won two and Kawasaki just one).
Honda was unable to win consistently, particularly because of rival V-twins' displacement advantage over Honda's V-4. In 2000 Honda released the RC51, powered by a 999 cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine. That year, it won the World Superbike Championship with Colin Edwards riding for the Castrol team. In 2001, Ducati regained the title but the RC51 was still a contender boasting superior reliability with comparable speed and power. The RC51 won again in its final year of factory-supported racing in World Superbike in 2002 after Edwards' tremendous title fight with Troy Bayliss and that same year also captured the AMA Superbike title with Nicky Hayden. Honda had taken the lessons learned in the SP-1's first season, producing the SP-2 for 2002. A stronger, more rigid frame and swingarm were identical to the WSB race bike parts and engine modifications boosted peak power by 3 kW (4 bhp) and cut weight by 5 kg (11 lb). Factory specifications for road going SP-2s (sourced from Honda) were 133 bhp with a top speed of 168 mph.
Wim Motors won the 2001 Endurance FIM World Championship.
2003–present Honda stopped official support for superbike racing in 2003 (though some teams have had factory support) and as superbike rules changed to allow 1000 cc 4-cylinder bikes the RC51 was replaced by the CBR1000RR Fireblade as the Honda superbike racer. In 2004, Honda released the Nicky Hayden special edition, which differed from previous models in that it had a brushed aluminum frame and swing arm, a sticker kit, and white number plates on the front upper fairing and tail fairing.
Mitchel, Doug; Earnest, Brian (2005). Honda motorcycles: techs & specs. Iola, WI: KP Books, A Division of F+W Publications. ISBN 0-87349-966-2.
External links
The photo 2000-Honda-RC51-18476-GP.jpg (2000 Honda RC51 - one more ) was uploaded by: [email protected]
Please note, we do not have accessories, motorbikes, motor cycles, motorcycles, or motorcycle gear for sale. This site is dedicated to displaying bike images of Aprilia, Bimota, Harley Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Triumph, Yamaha, and other sportbikes.


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Armenia Rock Climbing
Six-sided columns ran up basalt ramparts like a stack of Grecian pillars. A dike of perfect gold stairs split a strange, 300-foot tower of gray choss. Snowy mountains with slopes of varicolored grasses fell precipitously to orchards, sedge and clear rivers. Gorges of volcanic rock were cloaked in fog.
Six-sided columns ran up basalt ramparts like a stack of Grecian pillars. A dike of perfect gold stairs split a strange, 300-foot tower of gray choss. Snowy mountains with slopes of varicolored grasses fell precipitously to orchards, sedge and clear rivers. Gorges of volcanic rock were cloaked in fog.
Climbers threaded up the pillars and through the hanging hexagonal blocks, placing tiny cams. Little yellow rain jackets negotiated the gold steps. It looked like the best trad climbing area in the world.
I see dozens of photos every day, but these struck like a bell. Before I saw Sam Bie's images, all I knew about Armenia was that it produced wrestlers and chess champions. After seeing the shots, I wanted to know more.
Mkhitar Mkhitaryan, 30, is a mountain guide and Armenia's only active route developer. He taught himself to climb six years ago after watching an old video of Patrick Edlinger soloing in the Verdon Gorge broadcast on Armenian television.
I hadn't any clue of rock climbing, he wrote in a recent e-mail. I imagined myself Patrick Edlinger and landed down badly from 12 meters height.
Mkhitar pole-axed his leg, but after a year of recovery he started combing the Internet, looking for more reliable information on how to climb. He learned some basic techniques and discovered film of Dan Osman, the late California climber known for his outrageous speed solos and soaring rope jumps.
Mkhitar is also Armenia's only rope-jumper.
[At first] I learnt everything theoretically, he wrote of his climbing, as I had no gear to practice. Then I heard about Spitak Rescue Center," a community search and rescue holdover from the days of Soviet occupation,"and became a member. They had some handmade chocks and cams and some 15-year-old ropes. As rock shoes I bought a pair of galoshes, the ones by which the Russians used to climb up to the 1980s.
Will Nazarian, an Armenian/American climber from Bend, Oregon, visited his father's birth country for the first time last year and developed an immediate friendship with Mkhik, who he described as very excitable, endlessly motivated to climb, and kinda runty, like me.
Nazarian, an active climber and first ascentionist with 25 years experience, was blown away by the stacks of splitter cracks all over. After establishing one 5.10, he left Mkhitar his Bosch drill, his rack of cams and an admonition to get the word out about Armenian climbing.
Soon after Will's visit, Mkhitar came up with the idea for an Armenian climbing festival to promote the development of new routes on the many untapped walls. He posted a little blurb about the event on his website uptherocks.com and waited, hoping that someone would show up.
Sam Bie, a French climbing photographer, was looking for a project when a small news item popped up on a Russian climbing website announcing the Armenian First Ascent Open Festival. Along with the announcement were lousy pictures of aesthetically hallucinating walls. Unfortunately, Bie couldn't drop everything and make the festival, but a year later he and top climber Alex Chabot arrived in Armenia with the intention of sending new routes and documenting their discoveries.
When Mkhitar skyped his bro Will and told him that Bie and Chabot were on the way, Nazarian wrote back, These Frenchies are going to put Armenia on the rock-climbing map, dude.
Sure enough, the French added 10 new pitches to a country that even now has only 15 routes.
Bie wrote, The reality exceeded my imagination. Suspended hexagonal columns, cut sharp, like glass ceilings. Huge and aesthetically breath-taking. Better than all expectations.
The climbs ranged from 5.9 trad to 5.12b trad and 5.12c sport. Chabot, 28 and with over 20 World Cup titles under his belt, braved the precarious-looking terrain, deftly punching tiny cams between the columns, and pushed the existing standard for trad and sport climbing two full number grades. He also opened Mkhitar's eyes to what is possible.
I hope to try these climbs at the end of this season, Mkhitar wrote. Just need to get a bit of a dare, as on the overhanging sections the broken columns are so scary.
Getting There: A flight from Paris (or Amsterdam) to Yerevan (the Armenian capital) will cost about $500. A visa, available on arrival in Yerevan will cost about $8. You can hire a car for about $30 a day. Garni Gorge (see photos) is about 20 minutes from the Yerevan airport.
Currency Exchange: One U.S. dollar is equivalent to 365 Dram (AMD).
Food: Expect to pay about $6 for delicious savory meats and vegetables with nuts and fruit stuffed into grape leaves (dolmas) and mouth-watering pickles. Hotel double rooms cost about $25 a night. Budget about $35 a day (including gasoline and miscellaneous items) for two people.
People: By all accounts, the Armenian people are among the most warm and welcoming in the world. Both Nazarian and Bie described being invited to impromptu barbecues and treated as family by complete strangers. They always offer half of what they have, Nazarian said. They live very simply. No running water, home gardens. You don't see machinery in the fields, but people working. After centuries of war, genocide and the resultant Armenian Diaspora (see sidebar), the people have adopted a strict altruistic ethic, especially toward strangers. Travelers are well treated. No security problems.
Website and guide service: www.uptherocks.com, Mkhitar Mkhitaryan.
Climbing Gear: Multiple sets of cams to 4 inches. Two ropes, long slings, quick links and helmets.
Season: Armenia enjoys a continental climate with dry, sunny summers lasting from June to September. Expect temperatures to range between 72 and 97 degrees F. Low humidity and cool evening breezes blowing down from the mountains help mitigate warm temperatures. Springs are short, while autumn is a longer transitional season, celebrated for its vibrant, colorful foliage. Winters are cold and snowy.
Armenia comprises the mountainous Caucasus region bordered by Turkey, Georgia, Iran and Azerbaijan. The name is derived from the name of Noah's great-great grandson, who (according to the historian Moses of Chorene) defeated the Babylonian king Bel in 2492 BC and took over rule of the highland. This antiquity permeates Armenian history as empire after empire established sovereignty, then crumbled. The Mitanni were succeeded by the Nairi around 1500 BC, the Nairi succumbing to the Uratu 500 years later. The present-day Armenian capital, Yerevan, is over 2,500 years old.
From 1200 to 1400 Armenia was wracked by invasions, first by the Mongols, then in quick succession by the Kara Konyunlu, Timurid and Ak Konyunlu tribes of central Asia. The constant war weakened the Armenian people, and the Persians and Ottoman Turks divided up the country between them for most of the 1500s. Over the next 300 years, friction developed between the Christian population and the strict, official Muslim mores. When the Armenians demanded more religious freedom in 1894, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Abdu' l-Hamid II organized state-sponsored massacres that lasted for two years and resulted in the murder of at least 80,000 Armenian people.
Increasingly nervous about their unruly, mistreated neighbors, the Ottoman Empire passed the Tehcir Law in 1915 that allowed special measures to be taken against the Armenian people. The law legalized the forcible deportation of the indigenous population and was accompanied by orders to the Teşkîlât-ı Mahsûs, a Special Forces unit of the Empire, to eliminate the deportees. According to the International Association of Genocide Scholars, more than a million Armenians were killed between 1915 and 1916.
Armenia was ruled by the Soviets from 1920 to 1991. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Armenia found itself at war with Azerbaijan and blockaded by Turkey. The borders with these countries remain closed and all trade is conducted through Iran and Georgia.
At present, the democratic nation of Armenia is at peace, observing a ceasefire with Azerbaijan that has lasted for 16 years.
Watch Video of Armenian Rock Climbing
See photo gallery of Armenia Rock Climbing


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WASHINGTON (AP) — With Congress in gridlock and stocks taking a fall, President Barack Obama issued a stern summons to lawmakers Friday to pass legislation to prevent year-end fiscal cliff tax increases on millions and avoid an imminent expiration of benefits for the long-term unemployed.
Republican House Speaker John Boehner said Obama himself must give more ground to reach an agreement. He added, "How we get there, God only knows."
Congress was shutting down, and Obama was headed to Hawaii to join his family for the holidays. But both men indicated they'd be back working to beat the fast-approaching Jan. 1 deadline with an agreement between Christmas and New Year's.
One day after House anti-tax rebels torpedoed Boehner's 'Plan B' legislation because it would raise rates on million-dollar-earners, Obama said he still wants a bill that requires the well-to-do to pay more. "Everybody's got to give a little bit in a sensible way" to prevent the economy from pitching over a recession-threatening fiscal cliff, he said.
He spoke after talking by phone with Boehner — architect of the failed House bill — and meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Boehner's office quickly issued a statement saying the Ohio Republican intends to return to the Capitol after Christmas "ready to find a solution that can pass both houses of Congress." At the same time, spokesman Brendan Buck said, "we remain hopeful he (Obama) is finally ready to get serious about averting the fiscal cliff."
At the White House, Obama projected optimism as he struggled to deal with the wreckage of weeks of failed negotiations and political maneuvering. "So call me a hopeless optimist, but I actually still think we can get it done," he said of an elusive deal.
The president spoke at the end of a day in which stocks tumbled and congressional leaders squabbled as the fiscal cliff drew implacably closer.
Boehner spoke in the morning, describing the increasingly tangled attempts to beat the Jan. 1 deadline and head off the perilous combination of across-the-board tax hikes and deep spending cuts.
Obama spoke shortly before a scheduled departure to join his family in Hawaii for Christmas, but in an indication of the importance of the issue, he told reporters he would be returning to the White House next week.
He said that in his negotiations with Boehner, he had offered to meet Republicans halfway when it came to taxes, and "more than halfway" toward their target for spending cuts.
He said he remains committed to working toward a goal of longer-term deficit reduction, but in the meantime he said quick action is needed to keep taxes from rising for tens of millions.
"Averting this middle class tax hike is not a Democratic responsibility or a Republican responsibility. With their votes, the American people have decided that government is a shared responsibility," he said, referring to a Congress where power is divided between the two parties.
"We move forward together or we don't move forward at all," he added.
Progress was invisible one day after House Republican rebels thwarted Boehner's plan to prevent tax increases for all but the nation's million-dollar earners. And while neither House is expected to meet again until after Christmas, officials in both parties said there was still time to prevent the changes from kicking in with the new year.
Yet they pointedly disagreed which side needed to make the first move.
"It's time for the speaker and all Republicans to return to the negotiating table," said Senate Democratic leader Reid.
He said that, for now, Boehner should allow a vote on legislation that would block all tax increases except for individuals making more than $200,000 and couples making $250,000 — the position that Obama carried through his successful campaign for re-election.
Reid said it would pass the House with votes from lawmakers from both parties, and, separately, some Democrats said it was possible similar legislation may yet be launched in the Senate.
Moments later, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Democrats had "spent all day yesterday defeating" the legislation in the House — even though Boehner himself said it had been deep-sixed by GOP opposition.
Countering Reid's offer, McConnell said the Senate should pass legislation extending tax cuts at all income levels and requiring a comprehensive overhaul of the tax code. Beyond that, he said, "''Look: It's the president's job to find a solution that can pass Congress. He's the only one who can do it."
Rhetoric aside, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 121 points in what analysts said was a reaction to the events in the capital.
The developments marked yet another baffling turn in a week that began with news that Obama and Boehner had significantly narrowed their differences on a plan to erase the cliff. Both were offering a cut in taxes for most Americans, an increase for a relative few and cuts of roughly $1 trillion in spending over a year. Also included was a provision to scale back future cost-of-living increases for Social Security recipients — a concession on the president's part as much as agreeing to higher tax rates was for the House speaker.
GOP officials said some senior Republicans balked at the emerging terms.
Boehner stepped back and announced what he called Plan B, legislation to let tax rates rise on incomes of $1 million or more while preventing increases for all other taxpayers.
Despite statements of confidence, he and his lieutenants decided late Thursday they were not going to be able to secure the votes needed to pass the measure in the face of opposition from conservatives unwilling to violate decades-old party orthodoxy never to raise tax rates.
Officials said as many as two dozen rank-and-file Republicans had made it clear they would oppose the bill, more than enough to send it to defeat given unanimous Democratic opposition.
At his Friday morning news conference several hours later, Boehner dismissed suggestions that he was concerned the turn of events could cost him his speakership.
"No, I am not," he said.
"While we may have not been able to get the votes last night to avert 99.81 percent of the tax increases, I don't think — they weren't taking that out on me," Boehner said of the Republican rank and file. "They were dealing with the perception that somebody might accuse them of raising taxes."
Boehner also said that last Monday he had told Obama he had submitted his bottom line proposal.
"The president told me that his numbers — the $1.3 trillion in new revenues, $850 billion in spending cuts — was his bottom line, that he couldn't go any further."
That contradicted remarks by White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, who said on Thursday that Obama has "never said either in private or in public that this was his final offer. He understands that to reach a deal it would require some further negotiation. There is not much further he could go."


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It's easy to be mean, to make fun of something and tear it down. It's much harder to poke fun at something that can be rather silly, and have it come from a place of love and deep respect. Tim Schafer has mastered the latter with Br?tal Legend, an adventure game that is at times a love letter to heavy metal, and at others a great excuse to make fun of the chrome-soaked, sex-obsessed conventions of the music.
During GDC 2009, Double Fine hosted a group of game writers at its offices, giving the press a small taste of the game, with Schafer's commentary. "I always wanted to bring this world to life," he told everyone. "What you see in rock videos, it's never really done with much of a budget or fidelity to it at all. Even though the lyrics are so evocative, there's always that one guy standing in the middle of an empty church with a plastic sword."
Schafer said that every scene was designed to look like the cover of a metal album, and the design work is at the same time darkly gothic and utterly ridiculous.
The story takes place in an alternate universe where the power of rock is real. Jack Black plays Eddie Riggs, the so-called "best roadie in the world." After dripping blood onto an amulet that Riggs wears as a belt-buckle, he's transported to a land that looks exactly like the stage set from his former band... except in this world the druids are out to kill him. The first combat erupts, you meet the beautiful sidekick character, build a car to get around, and get your mission: the leaders of the resistance have no idea how to organize, feed, or move people in great numbers. Eddie realizes instantly that they don't need a hero... they need a roadie.
Metal luminary and scream-master Rob Halford provides the voice of the game's bad guy, and an early mission has you rescuing head-banging metalheads who will soon make up your user-controlled army. In a fun twist, the evil minions are hair metal fans... the true enemies of real metal. The hair-metal fans and your army will clash, as Schafer explains, "just like in LA in the 80s."
From that point on Riggs can call on his army to fight for him, adding a strategic element to the rather simplistic hack-and-slash gameplay we had seen up to that point. You'll be able to explore the land using your car—called the Deuce—and the world is huge, 64 square kilometers. You'll be driving around to move the story forward and to take on side missions to upgrade your weapon and car, giving the game some serious legs.
The fact is, the game is funny—laugh-out-loud, subtle, quick-witter humor that comes from a great script and attention to detail. The art is also amazing, with a ton of detail and little surprises to be found here and there. All throughout the game classic metal tracks are played in the background, along with rejiggered metal that comes together into a classic track at just the right time. (We were told many of the rights still weren't completely secured.)
You'll be fighting with your guitar, driving in your metal hot-rod, and hopefully getting it on some with groupies here and there throughout the game... it's hard to image how the game would catch a Teen rating based on what we saw.
After the game was dropped by Activision, only to be picked up by EA, there was a lot of speculation about just how viable the product would be. "In many ways, it was easier to pitch the second time," Schafer said, "since we had something to show." EA was right to pick this one up, it's funny, smart, and lovingly crafted. Sadly, Schafer is known more for critical acclaim than retail receipts these days, but this could be just the game to change that trend.


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Morning Minutes: Dec. 21
Word of the Day
hoi polloi \hoi-puh-LOI\ (noun) The common people generally; the masses. — Dictionary.com
Website of the Day
On the Snow
Find out conditions, deals, weather reports and reviews for over 2,000 ski resorts wordwide as well as live camera views, news and the newest cold-weather gear.
Number to Know
3: The Apollo 8's crew was composed of three astronauts: Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot James Lovell and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders.
This Day in History
Dec. 21, 1968: Apollo 8 is launched from the Kennedy Space Center, placing its crew on a lunar trajectory for the first manned spacecraft to leave the Earth orbit, reach the Earth's moon, orbit it and return safely to Earth.
Today's Featured Birthday
Actor, producer and civil rights activist who won a BAFTA Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in "Pulp Fiction" Samuel L. Jackson (65)
Daily Quote
"We've come a long way in our thinking, but also in our moral decay. I can't imagine Dr. King watching the 'Real Housewives' or 'Jersey Shore.'" — Samuel L. Jackson


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More than thirty years ago, a UCLA Extension class on photography ended and an adult student approached his instructor. The student inquired about a studio visit—not to his own studio, mind you, but to that of the instructor, who was an artist—the photographer Robert Cumming. On view now in the Hammer Building is The Continuity of Robert Cumming, a collection of some of Cumming's photographs from the 1970s. Cumming was known for making fabricated tableaux—photographing them with an 8 x 10 view camera and making flummoxing photographs that play with perception.
The student was Albert Dorskind, then the vice president of Universal Studios, a passionate photography collector, and an amateur photographer. Seven years after that class, Mr. Dorskind, as president of the board of the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, was instrumental in persuading Parsons to initiate funds to establish LACMA's photography department—a matching grant was given to LACMA in 1983 and the department became its own curatorial division in 1984.
After visiting Cumming's studio (which was the photographer's residence in Orange, California), Mr. Dorskind invited Cumming to visit his studio—Universal Studios—to do some shooting. Cumming took him up on the offer and set off to wander the back lot of Universal, his 8 x 10 view camera in tow. At the time, Universal was in the middle of production on Roy Scheider's next turn as police chief Brody in Jaws 2 (swearing he sees another shark out there!). The submarine thriller Gray Lady Down, starring Charlton Heston and Stacy Keach, was in production. A huge cross-section of a sub loomed like some postmodern jungle gym on stage #12.
Cumming shot for six months at Universal Studios, pretty much doing whatever he wanted. More than one hundred negatives later, he had the basis from which he selected twenty-five images for a limited-edition portfolio titled Studio Still Lifes. He also printed two copies of every single one and mounted and hand-titled them on board, binding them with extra long screw-and-post-style fasteners into two massive books. Cumming kept one of these books and gave the other to Mr. Dorskind. Years later, Mr. Dorskind donated his copy of the bound set of prints, along with a copy of the limited-edition portfolio, to LACMA, where a selection of those photographs is now on view outside of the Wallis Annenberg Photography Department. They are photographs that Robert Cumming has deemed "documents of the hardware employed by the ultimate illusion"—otherwise known as the twentieth-century film industry.
Sarah Bay Williams


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Your task is to develop a persona, and make up a research question that persona might ask. It can be anything you want. Once you have a question, take it to a reference desk at a library/archive/historical society of your choosing. Then write a paper about the experience.
Sound familiar? No, it's not a rejected subplot from Skyfall. It's an assignment I've encountered in two different classes this fall, which is my first semester of library school. And from talking with other LIS students, it seems like this is a common assignment regardless of your school. It's the "secret shopper" theory of observation at work. An anthropologist might call it "extreme participant observation." The theory says you'll learn more about something if you immerse yourself in it, giving no impression that you're REALLY doing research. That the other participant doesn't know they're part of an experiment should make their actions more truthful than if they knew they were being observed.
From having gone through the two assignments this semester, I can concede that there is something to this approach. I had horrendous experiences with several institutions while attempting to get a general reference question answered for the first assignment. More recently, I had a less awful, but still less than stellar experience at a certain world-renowned archive (no, not that one, the other one) while trying to complete the second assignment. Putting aside my sociologist/anthropologist hat for a second, I can say that I probably wouldn't have had those experiences had those behind the desk known what I was up to.
But from the beginning, the ethics of these types of assignments have bothered me, and continually came up as I discussed this with others. Is lying to librarians and archivists the best way to experience reference services? Additionally, as Alison pointed out earlier this week, many of us are pretty introverted and struggle with interactions to begin with. Is adding a certain level of deceit to the heightened blood pressure and clammy hands we're already feeling actually worth it?
Those I've talked to have offered up opinions on every part of the spectrum. Some have pointed out quite rightly that introverts need to be pushed out of their shells sometimes, and that the data gathered is really invaluable both for students and for the profession. Others have told me that their anxiety got to be so great that they caved and told the reference person what they were doing and ended up having valuable conversations out of it.
Academic Librarian wrote a series of posts about this from the perspective of the person being asked these questions a while back that I think are worth reading. While it's a sort of over-the-top sense of how our professional colleagues might feel about encountering waves of LIS students asking questions they obviously don't want the answers to, it's worth considering the impact of these assignments. What happens when you go back to that library and apply for a job and the reference librarian asks how your project about 13th century depictions of Minotaurs came out? Or perhaps more relevantly, what if that librarian sussed you out and now doesn't want to give you an interview?
I find myself landing in the middle on this issue. It's a valuable style of assignment, no doubt. But most of us have come to library school to network and gain practical experience, not necessarily to do research. Perhaps a more subtle form of observation, or a shadowing/mentoring program would be a better way to go about this, as well as help us build professional networks? I honestly don't have an answer.
What do you think? Are these "secret shopper" assignments common in your program? What's been your experience? What do you see as the value (or lack thereof) of this approach? Tell us!
Author's note: The above photo was an outtake from a photo shoot for an annotated bibliography group project where we were given free reign to do whatever we wanted, within a couple of parameters. Now THAT was an assignment we all got behind.
Categories: Education & Curriculum


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February 9th, 2013
My take: A word to Christians - Be nice
Editor's note: John S. Dickerson is author of the book "The Great Evangelical Recession: 6 Factors that Will Crash the American Church ... and How to Prepare" and senior pastor of Cornerstone in Prescott, Arizona. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter @JohnSDickerson
By John S. Dickerson, Special to CNN
Last week a high-profile American writer and news personality asked me a painful question: "Hey pastor, can a Christian tweet hate?"
It was not a hypothetical question. He was asking because some of his 1.3 million Twitter followers claim to be "Christian," and some of the meanest, most perverse hate-tweets he receives come from these self-proclaimed Christians.
We've all seen folks, Christian and otherwise, lose their cool in a Facebook face-off or in the comment section under a controversial news story. But as I scrolled through the "Christian" hate tweets to this news personality, I was baffled and ashamed by these so-called followers of Christ. One user describes himself not merely as Christian but as "sharing God's message of Grace with everyone I encounter." The messenger of Grace recently tweeted that he doesn't merely hate this news personality, he despises and loathes him.
These are the moments when it's embarrassing to be a Christian. I'm not embarrassed to believe the extravagant claims of Christianity: that Christ was born to a virgin, died for our sins, physically rose from the grave and is returning to rule the world. But I am embarrassed to be associated with some of the people who claim his name.
I have written in the past about the bad reputation that Christians have in America. Some argue that it comes from misrepresentation by the media. Others argue that "all who live godly will suffer persecution," and that's why we Christians have a poor reputation. Maybe there's some truth to those claims, but we Christians have to acknowledge another reason why we are perceived as hateful: because many of our number are.
More and more, I see hateful Christians chalking up their disrepute to "persecution." God tells us otherwise. In 1 Peter 4 we're told, "If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed. …" And that's the truth; sometimes we are insulted for proclaiming the good news of salvation in Christ. But listen to what follows: "If you suffer, however, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler."
The Apostle Peter is more or less saying: If you suffer for sharing the good news of Christ, great, you're blessed. But if you suffer just because you're being a criminal or acting like an idiot, then don't blame it on Christ.
Some 2,000 years ago, Peter knew so-called Christians would be criminals and "meddlers." He knew some would claim, "Wow, I'm really suffering for Jesus," when they are really just suffering for being jerks.
The word "meddler" means busybody: someone who inserts himself into matters that are not his own. Might this include some people involved in the Twitter, Facebook and "comments" showdowns of our day?
So yes, "all who live godly will suffer persecution." But let's not be jerks, get persecuted and then blame it on Christ. American Christianity, with its past position of cultural superiority, gave birth to some self-righteous and condescending so-called Christians. These folks may be culturally Christian, but they know little of Christ and his actual message of humility and repentance. I am convinced that, if Jesus Christ were here walking among us, he would have nothing to do with those who claim his name and consistently spew hate.
Theologians and academics will argue about that last sentence. Isn't Jesus "a friend of sinners?" Yes. Doesn't Jesus' grace wash away the sins of those who trust in him? Yes. Wouldn't that include the sin of "hate tweet"? Yes.
In seminaries and churches, we tend to engage in obscure questions about theology. For example, "Is it possible for someone to truly trust Christ and spend their entire life tweeting hate?"
Maybe so. But Jesus didn't engage in such esoteric abstractions. He taught simple truth with clarity, authority and practicality. On controversial issues—"Are hate tweeters true Christians?"—I find myself drawn to the simple words of Scripture. Theologians will argue and debate, but God's word is simple and clear.
"Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness." (1 John 2:9,11)
"With the tongue we praise our Lord and father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." (James 3:9,10)
"If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." (1 John 4:20)
Jesus put it this way in Matthew 12:34-36: "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken."
If we will give account for every careless word spoken, might we also give account for every careless comment typed or tweeted?
Christians aren't the only ones hurling hateful blows on the Web. But we are the only ones who claim to follow the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. So let's be nice.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John S. Dickerson.
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About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.


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In this technique, we use hot water and cleaning agents at high pressure to loosen up any stubborn grime, filth, dirt, and soil from the carpet. In our steam cleaning service, we provide the best carpet cleaning services in Farringdon. We own a powerful steam cleaning machine. Also, we use the industry's best cleaning solvent, which ensures the cleaning well.
Carpet Dry Cleaning Farringdon
For a quick and effective cleaning session, carpet dry cleaning is best, because it removes all the dust and dirt. Sometimes, stain removal method is followed after vacuum cleaning, when it's done the carpet gets completely cleaned and sanitized. Our professionals are working to make clients experience better, so we provide them with the best in class carpet dry cleaning services in Farringdon. If you're looking to have the carpet dry cleaning services in Farringdon, then contact us.
Carpet Shampooing
We use carpet shampoo as a cleaning agent to remove suspended debris and dirt from your carpet with the help of rotating brushes. This process is fast and simple and ensures thorough carpet cleaning Farringdon. This carpet cleaning method is most suitable for all types of carpet. If you have any query regarding cleaning and protection or need any help with cleaning feel free to contact us.
In this, we make use of an encapsulating cleaning solution which is sprayed and simultaneously brushed into your carpet. This is done with the help of a rotary brush machine. This process involves minimum use of water, therefore, the carpets are ready to be used again in less time. Encapsulation is widely preferred for commercial carpet maintenance only.
Bonnet Cleaning
Bonnet carpet cleaning is another technique which makes minimum use of moisture. This technique uses cotton, polypropylene pad, a rotary machine and rayon to clean your carpet in Farringdon. It gives the carpet a long-lasting finish without changing the look, feel or breadth. This will also save your money on taking cleaning service frequently.
Carpet Mould Removal Farringdon
Another major problem with the carpet is mould growth. Presence of moisture and humidity in the room leads to mould development on the carpet. Mould on your carpet degrades the air quality which becomes the cause for a number of health issues. But worry not, Capital Cleaning Canberra is always there in your rescue. Our staff has years of experience in carpet cleaning and can assist you in almost any carpet cleaning need including mould removal. Unlike others, we provide our top-notch services at affordable prices and deliver complete value for money.
Carpet Stain Removal Farringdon
Stains on the carpet area? Don't fret, why are we here for? With the best skills, advanced tools and right cleaning solution we can make your floor coverings brand new once again. Most stains are stubborn so removing them on your own can be the toughest task. Also, a wrong step can turn your carpets into disaster. So, why waste your energy and money when you can have carpets cleaned with the utmost ease? Hire us today and get the best Carpet Stain Removal Services in Farringdon.
Carpet Scotchgard Protection in Farringdon
Rent our professionals today and get carpet Scotchgard protection services at a reasonable value in Farringdon. We understand that dirty carpets can spread many diseases, hence we give you total protection and remove all the harmful germs, and dirt deeply inside your carpet with the help of our extremely effective scotchgard protection services in Farringdon.
Carpet Sanitization & Deodorization Services
Carpets can actually harbour many dangerous germs and pathogens. Stains and organic fluids spilled on the carpet will result in contamination by bacteria and pathogens. This can lead to a bad home environment and compromise the overall hygiene of the carpet. Also, these bacteria will further cause your carpets to stink. This bad odour released by the carpet can affect the indoor air quality thereby affecting your breathing. We at Capital Cleaning Canberra can provide you with the best carpet sanitization and deodorization services in Farringdon. Our professional carpet cleaners use safe and effective disinfectants to treat the pathogens.
Carpet Cleaning Process in Farringdon
Our Carpet cleaning process and service will make you wholly content and an experience which you will never forget. Not every firm provides service as compared to our which are extremely cost-effective. Let us see how we clean your carpet.
- The first step in our carpet cleaning process is the proper inspection of the carpet. This helps in knowing the different problems associated with the carpet. Then, the professionals decide upon what to do.
- In most cases, it starts with the deep vacuum cleaning to remove the dirt particles on the surface.
- Then, the carpet is soaked in water and left for a few minutes so that the well-settled particles can get loose for easy removal.
- Now, it's time to apply the cleaning solution and rinse the carpet with a rotary machine. Then the carpet is washed with clean water and work on stains starts. The stains are treated as per their source and the carpet is again cleaned in freshwater.
- It is the time for sanitization and deodorization to end the cleaning process. In this way, our professionals bring back the original condition of your carpet.
Note: Let the carpet get dry well before you take it back in use. Also, ensure that no one walks over the wet carpet while it has been kept for drying.
Types Of Carpet Stains
The stain removal service which we provide for Carpet Cleaning Farringdon is done to remove all types of carpet stains. Below we are explaining the different and most common stains which are seen on the carpet and removed by our professionals.
Wine Stains
Our experts are capable of eliminating all types of stains from the carpet whether there are red wine stains or any other wine stains. We have those appliances and cleaning solutions which help us to extract them in seconds. We provide the high-quality wine stain removal services in Farringdon. Avail the best offers now.
Blood Stains
These stains on the carpet can be very repulsive and offensive for us and our guests. These stains can permanently decolourise the carpet fibres leaving a red or dark brown spot. Blood stains on the carpet may attract pathogens thereby affecting the hygiene of the carpets. Capital Cleaning Canberra can provide you with the best carpet blood stain removal service.
Pet Stains
We all love our pets and our pets love us and our carpets. Capital Cleaning Canberra knows that pets can leave their signs of presence on the carpet. Their faeces, urine and mud from their paws can leave harsh stains on the carpets. Often compromising the hygiene and leaving a permanent spot or mark on the carpet. We deliver the best pet stain removal service for you.
Gum Stains
Chewing gums are enjoyed throughout the world but people often dispose of them casually. If you dropped chewing gum on the carpet and ignored it chances are it will result in damage to the carpets. Due to their sticky nature, they will permanently get attached to the carpet fibres. Our professional carpet cleaners Farringdon use heat and cold treatment to make the dried gum brittle and easy to remove.
Nail Polish Stains
These stains look really odd on the carpet. It disguises itself as a part of the carpet but it's never part of the carpet. Moreover, if the nail polish stain is not removed on time then it'll become permanent. Therefore, the stain must be removed quickly. Capital Cleaning Canberra have a team of expert professionals who know everything about the nail polish stain and their removal.
Ink Stains
We can remove any amount of ink absorbed by the carpets using special tools. Ink stains are also treated using safe commercial products. It gets solid and mixes up with the carpet fibres after drying which becomes very hard to get rid of. Our professionals treat the stain accordingly as we have provided them with the best quality cleaning solvents and tools to perform the job completely.
Tea and Coffee Stains
Hire professionals from Capital Cleaning Canberra today to get rid of tea and coffee stains from the carpet in no time. We start by treating the stains with commercial products and removing them effectively. We deliver a professional service for the removal of stains created by all types of beverage and drinks besides these two.
Food Stains
We use the best commercial products and solvents to eradicate food stains. We treat the stains and pathogens effectively and deliver stain free results in no time. Food stains often turn into a messy and stinky environment so it is required to remove that as soon as possible.
Our Exclusive Services For Specified Customers
Rug Cleaning Farringdon
Rug cleaning is another one of the most demanded services by our customers in Farringdon. Besides carpet cleaning, we also have a specialised team of rug cleaners. Whether you have stains, mould, or grime on your carpets, we can clean and restore them. We use specialised cleaning solutions, made for the delicate fabric of your rugs. Moreover, we clean all types of rugs, including, oriental, Persian, Indian, Pakistani, and more.
End of Lease Carpet Cleaning Farringdon
When the contract ends, you might be on the hunt for an end of lease carpet cleaning service provider in the city, and when it comes to the best, Capital Cleaning Canberra is unbeatable. We have an efficient team of professionals that investigate your carpets thoroughly before the cleaning procedure. After the inspection, the professionals go ahead with the appropriate cleaning method. With our advanced carpet cleaning services, the chances of getting your bond money back also increases.
Residential Carpet Cleaning Farringdon
Capital provide our efficient carpet cleaning services in residential areas. We have tools that are absolutely effective and top-notch. Our cleaning technicians know how to perfectly clean the carpet. We scrutinize every area of the carpet and resolve the problem wherever we find one. You can trust us for a better result which you always wished to see. Therefore, come to us for Residential Carpet Cleaning in Farringdon today.
Commercial Carpet Cleaning Farringdon
Whether it is a marketplace, infirmary, or school we render our best services in all commercial domains. Our carpet cleaning services will unquestionably heighten the appearance of your carpet and eliminate all the unhealthy microorganisms, bacteria and dirt scraps from it. Get to us today if you want to avail the most exciting offers at Carpet Cleaning Farringdon. We are giving ultimate and affordable commercial carpet cleaning services in Farringdon.
Industrial Carpet Cleaning Farringdon
Capital Cleaning Canberra is offering excellent services to industrial areas. Our services are actually cost-effective and reliable. We have become the foremost company in this business now. Capital provides our excellent services throughout areas including buildings, factories, offices, and other structures as well. We have a crew who is equipped with the best and advanced apparatuses. So come to us today for the industrial carpet cleaning services in Farringdon.
Same Day Carpet Cleaning Services in Farringdon
Dirty and stained carpets can trouble anyone and cause complications. Thus we are providing carpet cleaning services at reduced costs and on the same day of your call. There are many customers who want the service to reach their place on the same day of booking considering the change of the service charges. Capital Cleaning Canberra provides the best same day carpet cleaning services in Farringdon. You will have our service provider and the services on time. The carpet cleaning service from us is effective and qualitative as usual. Same day carpet cleaning is actually beneficial because it helps in getting rid of the problem quickly. We have a team of professionals who will finish the entire job on the same day of your booking. Get in touch with us now for more information.
Why Choose Us for Carpet Cleaning in Farringdon?
You might be familiar with various carpet cleaning services in your locality. But when it comes to delivering high-quality and same day carpet cleaning at affordable prices, nobody can beat our reputation. Capital Cleaning Canberra has been in this business for more than 20 years and is one of the biggest and most sought after service providers in the area.
Here are Just a Few of Various Reasons that Would Convince you of Our Capabilities:
- On-time service and budget cleaning
- 24 *7 customer support
- Cleaning with the help of latest tools and equipment as per the carpet fabric
- Safe and eco-friendly carpet cleaning services in Farringdon
- Certified, licensed, and skilled cleaners
- Same day carpet cleaning
- Avail the most exciting offers on carpet cleaning
- Emergency carpet cleaning Farringdon
Location: Farringdon, ACT, Australia
Frequently Asked Questions
🙋 Surely, we render same day carpet cleaning services. Our experts are available to accommodate you 7 days a week, comprising weekdays and government vacations.
🙋 We are the most reliable carpet cleaning service providers in Farringdon as we have the best technology and professionals to provide the service. The services are available at affordable prices.
🙋 Sure, you can get a quote on call however you will have to provide the details first.


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The image above, generated from a relatively simple mathematical formula, has become iconic and permanently connected with the man who identified it: mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot. But its iconic nature has ended up leaving it an awkward no-man's land, dismissed by art critics as kitsch, and divorced from the underlying mathematics that generated it. Now, a small exhibit in New York City is attempting to place the Mandelbrot set and other mathematical constructs back in their original context: one that's part of a long history of visualizations playing a key part in the creative process of math and science.
Even though that sounds like a tall order, it's all handled in a small space on an upper floor of the Bard Graduate Center in Manhattan, where the exhibit will be on display until January. "The Islands of Benoit Mandelbrot" has been curated by Nina Samuel, a visiting professor who has a background in the histories of science and art.
Samuel told Ars that she was first attracted to the topic precisely because the images generated from Mandelbrot sets and their relatives have been derided as a cliché. What was supposed to have been a short research project ended up a PhD thesis. The exhibit is filled with works she's found in Mandelbrot's own papers, those of German mathematician Otto E. Rössler, and other material from Edward Lorenz held by the Library of Congress.
From pens to programmers
The works on display from the three mathematicians capture a time when visualization itself was changing dramatically. The oldest come from Lorenz, and it consists of simple line drawings on graph paper. Lorenz is famous for his role in the development of chaos theory, which was popularized through ideas like the butterfly effect. But Lorenz found that, while chaotic systems are extremely sensitive to initial conditions, many had a tendency to gravitate towards a limited set of conditions. For example: it's impossible to predict the weather in New York on a given July day, it's safe to expect that it will be warm.
These likely states are called "chaotic attractors," and the exhibit contains Lorenz' sketches of their three-dimensional representations, complex mixes of straight lines and curves, with dashed lines attempting to represent their three dimensionality.
Rössler's work contained no shortage of sketches, though he tended towards colored pens and would sometimes perform revisions using bits of white tape to block over things that no longer satisfied him. But Rössler was working during the dawn of the computer age, and the exhibit shows off one of his early efforts: a simple visualization, done with an analog computer—but in stereo to attempt to capture the three-dimensionality of the underlying subject.
Mandelbrot did sketch things, but he was part of the first generation of mathematicians who relied heavily on computers. This was no small challenge, given that he didn't actually know how to program them himself. That's one of the reasons he started a long-term collaboration with IBM's Watson Research Center, where he had access to people who could turn his ideas into computer code, and high-end output devices to bring them to life. There's a wall full of that output on display in the exhibit, from a wall full of rough drafts of the classic Mandelbrot set to IBM ad copy of some artificial fractal landscapes.
Visualization as science and math
The fact that the need for visualization transcended a change in technology should probably speak to its central role. But both Samuel and the material she's gathered made that point explicit. Samuel described how some prints of Mandelbrot sets had small, individual pixels that might have been the result of an imperfect printing process. But, when zoomed in, each of these pixels represented a fractal world of its own. Not only did these visualizations reveal one of the central features of Mandelbrot sets, but they implied something about the mathematical system itself. Mandelbrot thought these speckles were islands, unconnected to some of the larger patterns around them and (erroneously, as it turned out).
(These disconnected dots were very important to him. In one book, the editor removed some of the apparent noise, assuming it was an artifact of the printing process. Samuel told Ars that, in copies he shared with colleagues, Mandelbrot actually added the speckles back by hand).
The visualizations also can form a key bridge between math and science. Mandelbrot also worked on patterns called Lévy flights, which describe paths where a random number of short hops are interrupted a single large leap. These Lévy flights create a very distinctive pattern when visualized (a number are on display in the exhibit). And, as people have studied foraging behavior in various animals, they've found that they also display the sort of series of hops and leaps typical of the Lévy flight. These parallels can be formally demonstrated mathematically, but the impetus for performing this demonstration was undoubtedly someone noticing the visual resemblance between the two patterns.
In Rössler's case, the link to science was explicit. There's a letter from him on display in which a series of hand sketches of three-dimensional surfaces are interspersed with typed notes. At some point, the text makes it clear that these complex shapes represent potential solutions to the Prisoner's Dilemma, a key example that's often used in game theory experiments.
Works in progress
The other thing that the exhibit makes clear is that the visualizations were part of the creative process. An entire wall is given over to a series of prints made from the famous Mandelbrot set. The zoom and location of the print relative to the entire image are varied in each one and, in many cases, it's a visual disaster—only a few random specks appear, with no pattern discernible. Samuel said these prints were like rough drafts, helping Mandelbrot understand what the equations he was working with said in various ways, and seeing how they varied in space and scale in a way that couldn't be done easily (if at all) by sketching on paper.
Is any of it art? There's clearly a lot of technical skill behind the material, and a lot of thought and passion went in to producing some of it. With a few exceptions—like a dramatic, colored graph that ended up in the cover of Scientific American—it wasn't intentionally produced as art, but it's clear that's less of a barrier to things than it might otherwise be.
Since art is so subjective, it's probably best that anyone who wants to have that debate visit the exhibit itself. It's a small one, so it won't take long to digest the whole thing. But it could leave you considering the intersection between math, science, creativity, and visual arts for quite a bit longer than it takes to admire the displays.